Power of the Gulf

By Alana Adams&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Tue 5:22 PM, Jun 01, 2004&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Tue 5:22 PM, Jun 01, 2004

They searched, but once again the rip current ripped away a young life. An 18-year-old male drowned Tuesday afternoon in the Gulf behind the En Soleil Condominiums; two others came close to also becoming victims.

Dave Agbay barely caught his breath after getting rescued himself.

"Caught a glimpse of the trucks, ran down here just to see what I could do, jumped in that water after two of them. Hit that rip current right there, just took them right on out, next thing you know I'm going right out with them," says Dave.

Another busy day is not good news for local law enforcement spending their time telling people to stay out of the water, only to turn around and have an incident like this.

Lt. Mike Purvis was in the water helping with the rescue effort, not understanding why this person had to get in the water.

"I don't know what it's going to take, we're patrolling the beach, we're telling them, the media is telling them how dangerous it is," says Purvis.

And just minutes after a rescue behind the Sandpiper Beacon Resort, everyone goes back in the water.

Matt Scudder helped one young man to safety, but watched as the waters filled up shortly afterward.

"At least five or ten, at least. Every now and then, you'll see people out on the beach that want to challenge it, they want to ride some waves because they're on vacation," says Matt.

Lt. Purvis warns anyone considering a cool dip in the Gulf.

"You can be a strong swimmer. You can swim in a pool, you can swim in a lake, but when you get caught in a rip current, there's no match for it. No matter how good of a swimmer you are."

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